16 THE PEECHEEOX HOKSE. 



Of course these different characters are modified by the 

 varieties upon which they are noticed, but the " ensemble " 

 presents a striking similarity. 



The light Percheron, suited to harness, is found par- 

 ticularly in the Norman portion, in the district of Mor- 

 tagne, near Courtomer, Moulin s-la-Marche, Aigle, Mesle- 

 sur-Sarthe, and especially in the parishes of Mesniere, Bures, 

 and Champeaux-sur-Sarthe. This is easily accounted for, as 

 here is the best blood of France, near the region where 

 has been found the best Norman type. Here the soil, 

 temperature, and pasturage, are pretty near the same. 



In going from Nogent-le-Rotrou to Montdoubleau, and 

 following the limits of Perche-Manceau, by Saint-Calais, 

 Vilvaye, Ferte-Bernard, Saint-Corme and Mamers, we 

 travel over the birth-place of the heavy draft-horse. Here 

 we meet with the heavy brood-mares. 



In the center of Perche, at Mauves, Regmalard, Lougny, 

 Corbon, Courgeon, Reveillon, Villiers, and Saint-Langis, 

 nothing is bred ; the farmer brings up the horse colts of 

 Eperrais, Pin-la-Garenne, Coulimer, Saint-Quentin, Bure, 

 Pervercheres and the breeding parishes of the district of 

 Mortagne, Nogent-le-Rotrou, Montdoubleau and Courtalin. 



Horses of different sexes and ages are never mingled in 

 Perche; they are there separated with care. But it is not 

 exactly the same in respect to kinds. 



The post-coach and the heavy-draft horse are there to 

 be met with upon the same ground. The post-coach horse 

 is, to be sure, bred a little everywhere ; his temperament 

 and the conditions in which he is placed, prepare him 

 for this specialty. 



It is, as we see, at the two extremities of the ellipse 

 (especially where the pasture grounds are), that the mares 

 are found. In the center, at Mauves, Regmalard, Lougny, 

 etc., etc., the inhabitants turn their attention to bringing 

 up the colts. 



